**Ten Days After the Start of Autumn, the Land Turns Golden.**
In the second year of the Xiangfu era, as autumn settled in, astonishing news spread like wildfire across the land. It was said that Jiang Ni of Western Chu was about to ascend the throne as emperor, marking her as the second female sovereign after the Northern Wilderness’s Empress Murong—and the first empress in the history of the Central Plains dynasties.
In response, nearly all of Western Chu’s high-ranking military commanders and officials, except for Xu Yunxia, who guarded the northern river fortresses, and Pei Sui, who faced off against the southern army of Wu Chongxuan, converged on the capital. This included even Cao Changqing and Xie Xichui.
By contrast, the Liyang court’s decree appointing Wu Chongxuan as the “General of the Southern Expedition” and promoting the Cross-River General Song Li to “General of the Southern Garrison”—while also naming him one of the deputy military governors of Guangling—paled in significance. Even less noticeable were the two young officials from the Ministry of Works who quietly accompanied Song Li, their roles dwarfed by the shifting tides of power.
Yuan Kui, who had served as Minister of Rites and then Minister of Revenue within just two years—earning him the mocking title of “Firefighting Minister”—was neither entrusted with a provincial governorship like his colleague Han Lin nor demoted to the war-torn Guangling region as the court expected. Instead, he was sent as an imperial envoy in an awkward transitional role. After meeting Lu Shengxiang, Yuan Kui split from Song Li’s group—Yuan Kui went to see Wu Chongxuan, while Song Li led the two junior officials to Prince Zhao Yi’s residence.
As Yuan Kui drew closer, the atmosphere on Guangling’s western front grew tense. Logically, Wu Chongxuan, as the newly appointed general, should have made a grand show of welcoming the imperial envoy. Yet, instead of mobilizing his southern generals or preparing a feast, he merely attended a banquet on a naval vessel, accompanied only by an unfamiliar young man surnamed Jiang. His two trusted generals, Tang He and Li Chunyu, were conspicuously absent.
Before the banquet, Yuan Kui delivered the imperial decree with a stony expression, while Wu Chongxuan, clad in ill-fitting armor, knelt and rose with a grating clatter of metal. The ensuing feast was joyless, the lavish dishes tasting like ash.
On a distant patrol ship, a young man in plain clothes leaned against the railing, watching the festivities with a cold smirk. To his left stood Wang Xianzhi’s disciples—Gong Banque, Lin Ya, and a tall, veiled woman. To his right were four battle-hardened southern generals: Zhang Dingyuan, Gu Ying, Ye Xiufeng, and Liang Yue—all key figures under the Prince of Yan.
Zhao Zhu, the Prince of Yan’s heir, mused aloud, “Sister Lin, is that Jiang Fuding from Wudi City? How did he manage to connect Wu Chongxuan with the imperial court?”
Lin Ya hesitated before nodding.
Zhao Zhu chuckled. “Even without Jiang Fuding, Wu Chongxuan would’ve found a way. But our ‘General of the Southern Expedition’ must be disappointed—no noble title, no princely rank. Just another southern warlord with a fancy name.”
The veiled woman spoke coldly, “The court isn’t withholding honors out of stinginess. With the war in Guangling going poorly, they can’t lavish rewards now only to have nothing left later.”
Zhao Zhu smirked. “Fair enough. If I were emperor, I’d do the same—lure him in first, deal with the rest later.”
Zhang Dingyuan whispered, “Tang He and Li Chunyu are approaching.”
Zhao Zhu joked, “At least Wang Tongshan isn’t here, or we’d be skewered on his halberd.”
Gu Ying sneered, “Do they really dare face you, knowing we could kill them?”
Zhao Zhu shook his head. “We can’t. They’re imperial officials now. Killing them would only benefit our enemies.”
The two generals bowed from a distance before retreating.
Liang Yue crushed the railing in frustration.
Zhao Zhu sighed. “Let them go. Birds leave the nest when they grow wings.”
As silence fell, broken only by the river’s flow, Zhao Zhu turned to the veiled woman. “Miss Zhang, Yuan Kui was your father’s student. If you wish to meet him, I can arrange it.”
She replied icily, “No need.”
Zhao Zhu touched the worn coin pouch at his waist and murmured, “No blade can cut through all the betrayals in this world.”
Gazing northwest, his expression darkened. Despite the South’s extensive spy network, they had no reach into Beiliang—a mutual respect between two mighty powers. But now, with Beiliang’s forces stretched thin on three fronts, the odds looked grim.
Zhao Zhu whispered, “Lose if you must. Then we’ll fight side by side.”
He clenched his fist.
—
Meanwhile, in Prince Zhao Yi’s mansion, the atmosphere was far more convivial. The prince and his son hosted a grand feast for Song Li, their former subordinate. Even the reclusive Guangling governor, Wang Xionggui, made a rare appearance.
Song Li toasted Wang’s son’s recent promotion, lifting the governor’s spirits. The two young officials from the Ministry of Works were largely ignored—until Song Li shielded one, a blind man named Lu Xu, from drinking.
Later, in a private courtyard, the sober Sun Yin lounged in a chair, pouring wine for Lu Xu. “Song Li’s little stunt was a message to Zhao Yi—you’re more important than you seem.”
Lu Xu smiled faintly. “Song Li repays kindness. It’s no surprise.”
Sun Yin scoffed. “Zhao Yi’s clinging to scraps. Without allies in court, his son will be crushed once peace comes.”
Lu Xu sighed. “Men like Zhao Yi, flawed as they are, still deserve some respect.”
Sun Yin smirked. “You sound like an old man.”
Lu Xu fell silent.
Lowering his voice, Sun Yin asked, “How did you convince the emperor to send Lu Baijia to Guangling? You’ve made enemies of the entire Jiangnan gentry.”
Lu Xu “looked” at him with closed eyes.
Sun Yin grinned sheepishly.
Lu Xu spoke plainly. “The emperor fears the present more than the future. One sentence convinced him: ‘Solve today’s problems today.’”
Sun Yin winced. “Harsh.”
Lu Xu drained his cup. “A thousand words led to that one.”
He set the cup down. “Compared to men dying on battlefields, my words are worthless.”
Sun Yin laughed. “Worthless? We’re moving kings and generals like chess pieces.”
Lu Xu whispered, “But in this game, every move bleeds.”
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